Ink-jet recording apparatus
There is provided an ink-jet recording apparatus including: a first transporting portion provided in a first transport path; a support member configured to support the sheet; a recording portion; a plurality of contact portions configured to come into contact with the sheet; a plurality of support ribs; a second transporting portion provided in a second transport path connected with the first transport path; and a third transporting portion configured to sandwich and transport the sheet in the first transporting direction or toward the second transport path. On the upstream side to the second transporting portion in the second transporting direction, a projecting portion is formed with the upper guide member to project toward the lower guide member below a virtual line linking a nip position of the sheet due to the third transporting portion with another nip position of the sheet due to the second transporting portion.
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The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-259605, filed on Nov. 28, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ink-jet recording apparatuses recording images on sheet materials, in particular, to an ink-jet recording apparatus capable of recording images on both sides of a sheet material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in an ink-jet recording apparatus, when images are recorded on a sheet material or a sheet, the sheet and the recording section are set to face each other. Then, it is required to adjust the gap between the sheet and the recording portion with a high accuracy. This is because an increased error in the gap between the sheet and the recording portion will inevitably degrade the quality of the images recorded on the sheet. Such kind of error in the gap between the sheet and the recording portion occurs because, in the main, the sheet warps and floats from a support member supporting the sheet.
Thus, there have been known ink-jet recording apparatuses which hold down the sheet from above at a plurality of places in a width direction to set the sheet into an undulant state so as to diminish the float of the sheet from the support member at the time of recording images on the sheet.
Such an ink-jet recording apparatus includes a platen of which upper surface is formed with alternated ribs and recesses along a sheet width direction, and a sheet material holding plate provided to face the recesses to hold down the sheet. The sheet is supported by the ribs at the positions with the ribs, and held down by the sheet material holding plate at the positions without the ribs. By virtue of this, the sheet is in an undulant state along the width direction, and thereby it is possible to reduce the warpage of sheet as a whole. As a result, this diminishes the float of the sheet from the support member, and thus it is possible to reduce the quality degradation in the images recorded on the sheet.
Further, conventionally, ink-jet recording apparatuses have been known to be capable of recording images on both sides of a sheet. In such an ink-jet recording apparatus, a resupply transport path is formed other than a main transport path transporting the sheet from a tray loading the sheet through a recording section recording images on the sheet to a discharge port. The resupply transport path serves to transport the sheet transported to the downstream side of the recording section with images recorded on its front side by the recording section, back to the upstream side of the recording section in the main transport path. The sheet transported through the resupply transport path arrives at the recording section with its back side facing the recording section. By virtue of this, the recording section is able to record images on the back side of the sheet.
Further, because there is only a limited inner space of the ink-jet recording apparatus to form the transport path and the resupply transport path, the transport path and the resupply transport path are often curved in this inner space. That is, at least parts of the transport path and the resupply transport path are often configured to be curved paths.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn an ink-jet recording apparatus with the sheet in an undulant state, if the resupply transport path as described above is adopted, then the following problem will arise. That is, it is more difficult to curve an undulant sheet than a flat sheet. Therefore, if the undulant sheet held down by the sheet material holding plate is guided to the resupply transport path, then it is difficult to transport the sheet through the curved path included in the resupply transport path. As a result, the sheet may get jammed in the curved path of the resupply transport path.
The present invention is made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an ink-jet recording apparatus capable of reducing quality degradation in images recorded on a sheet by undulating the sheet and, meanwhile, decreasing the possibility of jamming the sheet in the resupply transport path.
According to a first aspect of the present teaching, there is provided an ink-jet recording apparatus including:
a first transporting portion provided in a first transport path, and configured to transport a sheet in a first transporting direction;
a support member provided on the downstream side of the first transporting portion in the first transporting direction, and configured to support the sheet guided through the first transport path;
a recording portion provided to face the support member, and configured to jet ink droplets from nozzles onto the sheet supported on the support member to record an image thereon;
a second transporting portion provided in a second transport path connected with the first transport path at a first connection position on the downstream side of the support member in the first transporting direction, and at a second connection position on the upstream side to the first transporting portion in the first transporting direction, and configured to sandwich and transport the sheet in a second transporting direction from the first connection position toward the second connection position; and
a third transporting portion provided on the downstream side of the first connection position in the first transporting direction, and configured to sandwich and transport the sheet in the first transporting direction or toward the second transport path, and
a corrugate mechanism provided in the first transport path on the upstream side to the third transporting portion in the first transporting direction, and configured to form a corrugated shape in the sheet;
wherein the second transport path is defined by an upper guide member and a lower guide member; and
on the upstream side to the second transporting portion in the second transporting direction, a projecting portion is provided in the upper guide member to project, in side view, toward the side of the lower guide member below a virtual line linking a nip position of the sheet due to the third transporting portion with another nip position of the sheet due to the second transporting portion.
The sheet is held down or pressed by a plurality of contact portions which is included in the corrugate mechanism and is spaced apart in the width direction. Thereby the sheet becomes undulated along the width direction. The undulant sheet is led to the second transport path by the third transport portion and, thereafter, when the front end of the sheet reaches the second transport portion, the sheet comes into such a state as being transported by both the third transport portion and the second transport portion. If the sheet is transported through the second transport path in this state, then it is transported through the second transport path while being pressed or thrust by the projecting portion. At this time, the sheet is laid out by the projecting portion. By virtue of this, the sheet transforms from the undulant state to the even state.
According to a second aspect of the present teaching, there is provided an ink-jet recording apparatus including:
a first transporting portion provided in a first transport path, and configured to transport the sheet in a first transporting direction;
a recording portion provided on the downstream side of the first transporting portion in the first transporting direction, and configured to jet ink droplets from nozzles formed in the recording portion onto the sheet transported in first transporting direction to record an image;
a second transporting portion provided in a second transport path connected with the first transport path at a first connection position on the downstream side of the first transporting portion in the first transporting direction, and at a second connection position on the upstream side to the first transporting portion in the first transporting direction, and configured to sandwich and transport the sheet in a second transporting direction from the first connection position toward the second connection position;
a third transporting portion provided on the downstream side of the first connection position in the first transporting direction, and configured to sandwich and transport the sheet in the first transporting direction or toward the second transport path; and
a corrugate mechanism provided in the first transport path, and configured to form a corrugated shape in the sheet;
wherein the second transport path is defined by an upper guide member and a lower guide member; and
on the upstream side to the second transporting portion in the second transporting direction, a projecting portion is provided in the upper guide member to project, in side view, toward the side of the lower guide member below a virtual line linking a nip position of the sheet due to the third transporting portion with another nip position of the sheet due to the second transporting portion.
According to a third aspect of the present teaching, there is provided an ink-jet recording apparatus including:
a pair of transporting rollers provided in a first transport path, and configured to transport the sheet in a first transporting direction;
a recording portion provided on the downstream side from the pair of transporting rollers in the first transporting direction, and configured to jet ink droplets from nozzles onto the sheet transported in first transporting direction to record an image;
a pair of reverse rollers provided on the downstream side of the pair of transporting rollers in the first transporting direction, and configured to sandwich and transport the sheet in the first transporting direction, or in a second transporting direction toward a second transport path connected with the first transport path at a first connection position on the downstream side of the pair of transporting rollers in the first transporting direction and on the upstream side to the pair of reverse rollers in the first transporting direction, and at a second connection position on the upstream side to the pair of transporting rollers in the first transporting direction;
a corrugate mechanism provided in the first transport path, and configured to form a corrugated shape in the sheet,
wherein the second transport path is defined by an upper guide member and a lower guide member; and
wherein in the second transport path, a virtual line along a guide surface of the upper guide member facing the second transport path intersects with a guide surface of the lower guide member facing the second transport path on the upstream side to the second connection position in the second transporting direction.
According to the present teaching, the sheet is held down by the contact portions, and thereby becomes undulated along the width direction. By virtue of this, it is possible to diminish quality degradation of the images recorded on the sheet by the recording portion. Further, the projecting portion lays out the undulant sheet in the course of being transported through the second transport path. By virtue of this, the sheet transforms from the undulant state to the even state. Therefore, in spite of the curved second transport path, it is still possible to reduce the possibility of jamming the sheet in the curved portions of the second transport path.
Hereinbelow, an embodiment of the present invention will be explained. Further, it is needless to say that the embodiment explained below is merely an example of the present invention, and thus it is possible to change the embodiment of the present invention as appropriate without departing from the scope of the present invention. Further, in the following explanations, the term “direction” includes both of the meaning “one-way direction” and “two-way direction”. The words “one-way direction” means a direction from starting point to ending point of an arrow, and the words “two-way direction” means the direction from starting point to ending point and the direction from ending point to starting point of the arrow. Further, in the following explanations, an up-down direction 7 is defined based on a reference state (see in
[An Overall Configuration of the Multifunction Printer 10]
As shown in
The printer section 11 has a case 14 forming the opening 13 in its front side. Further, a paper feeding tray 20 capable of loading the recording paper 12 of various sizes, and a paper discharging tray 21 are insertable to and removable from the opening 13 in the front-rear direction 8.
As shown in
[The Paper Feeding Portion 15]
As shown in
A paper feeding motor (not shown) transmits a driving force to the feeding roller 25 to rotate the same. The feeding roller 25 sends out a sheet of the recording paper 12 to a transport path 65 explained below by separating it from other recording paper 12 in a state of contact with the uppermost recording paper 12 among the plurality sheets of the recording paper 12 placed on the paper feeding tray 20.
[The Transport Path 65]
As shown in
There is a branch position 36 which is an example of the first position of the present teaching on the downstream side from the recording portion 24 and an aftermentioned platen 42 in the first transporting direction. In the case of both-sided image recording, the recording paper 12 transported through the transport path 65 is switched back on the downstream side of the branch position 36, and transported toward an aftermentioned reverse transport path 67.
[The Pair of Transporting Rollers 54, Pair of Discharging Rollers 55 and Pair of Switch Back Rollers 56]
As shown in
The transporting roller 60 and pinch roller 61 constituting the pair of transporting rollers 54, the discharging roller 62 and spur 63 constituting the pair of discharging rollers 55, as well as the switch back transporting roller 45 and spur 46 constituting the pair of switch back rollers 56, are mutually contacted in pair to sandwich and transport the recording paper 12, respectively.
A driving force of positive rotation direction or negative rotation direction is transmitted from a transporting motor (not shown) to the transporting roller 60 and the discharging roller 62 to rotate the both positively or negatively. For example, if the driving force of positive rotation direction is transmitted from the transporting motor, then the transporting roller 60 and the discharging roller 62 rotate positively to transport the recording paper 12 in the first transporting direction. If the driving force of negative rotation direction is transmitted from the transporting motor, then the transporting roller 60 and the discharging roller 62 rotate negatively to transport the recording paper 12 in the opposite orientation to first transporting direction.
In the same manner as the transporting roller 60 and the discharging roller 62, the driving force of positive or negative rotation direction is transmitted from the transporting motor to the switch back transporting roller 45 to rotate the same positively or negatively. In detail, if a single-sided recording is carried out, then the switch back transporting roller 45 is rotated positively. By virtue of this, the recording paper 12 is sandwiched by the switch back transporting roller 45 and the spur 46, transported in the first transporting direction, and discharged to the paper discharging tray 21. On the other hand, if a both-sided recording is carried out, then the rotation direction of the switch back transporting roller 45 is shifted from positive rotation to negative rotation with the switch back transporting roller 45 and the spur 46 sandwiching the rear end portion of the recording paper 12. By virtue of this, the recording paper 12 is transported in the opposite orientation to the first transporting direction toward the reverse transport path 67 while being guided by path switch portions 41.
[The Platen 42]
As shown in
As shown in
Further, the support ribs 52 are formed at a predetermined gap between each other in the left-right direction 9. The recording paper 12 transported through the transport path 65 is supported by the platen 42. In detail, the recording paper 12 is supported by each of the support ribs 52 formed on the upper surface of the platen 42. That is, the platen 42 supports the recording paper 12 guided through the transport path 65 from below.
[The Recording Portion 24]
As shown in
As shown in
[The Contact Members 80]
As shown in
The fitting portions 81 are shaped into approximately flat plates. Each fitting portion 81 is fitted on the guide rail 43 as will be explained in detail. As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Further, the contact portions 83 may as well not be provided with the contact ribs 85. In this case, the lower surfaces 84 of the contact portions 83 contact with the upper surface of the recording paper 12. That is, the lower surfaces 84 of the contact portions 83 become the lower ends of the contact portions 83.
Here, as shown in
[The Path Switch Portions 41]
As shown in
One or a plurality of path switch portions 41 is/are provided in the transport path 65 along the left-right direction 9. In this embodiment, as shown in
The path switch portions 41A to 41C each include auxiliary rollers 47 and auxiliary rollers 48 which are an example of the spur of the present teaching, flaps 49, and a support shaft 87. In detail, the path switch portions 41A and 41C positioned at both ends of the transport path 65 in the left-right direction 9 are each constructed by a support shaft 87, four flaps 49, two auxiliary rollers 47, and two auxiliary rollers 48. Further, the path switch portion 41B positioned at the center of the transport path 65 in the left-right direction 9 includes a support shaft 87, eight flaps 49, four auxiliary rollers 47, and four auxiliary rollers 48. Because each path switch portion 41 has the support shaft 87 individually, it is rotatable individually.
Each support shaft 87 extends in the left-right direction 9, and is rotatably fixed on the frame and the like of the printer section 11. In this embodiment, each support shaft 87 is rotatably fixed on the outer guide member 18.
Each flap 49 extends out from the support shaft 87 to the downstream side in the first transporting direction. By virtue of this, each flap 49 rotates along with the rotation of the support shaft 87. Further, the flaps 49 are each arranged at a predetermined gap in the left-right direction 9.
Each auxiliary roller 47 is sandwiched by two flaps 49 in the left-right direction 9, and pivotally supported to be rotatable by these two flaps 49. In the same manner as the auxiliary roller 47, each auxiliary roller 48 is also sandwiched by two flaps 49, and pivotally supported to be rotatable by these two flaps 49. Each auxiliary roller 47 is fixed on the basal end side of the flaps 49, i.e. the support shaft 87 side, while each auxiliary roller 48 is fixed on the apical end side of the flaps 49.
Further, the positions of each auxiliary roller 47 and each auxiliary roller 48 in the transport path 65 along the left-right direction 9 are different from the position of the contact portion 83 of each contact member 80 in the transport path 65 along the left-right direction 9. That is, each auxiliary roller 47 and each auxiliary roller 48 are provided in different positions from the position of each contact portion 83 in the left-right direction 9.
The flaps 49 are configured to be changeable in posture, and revolve or rotate between a discharge posture positioned above the inner guide member 19, and a reverse posture in which extended ends 49A enter below the branch position 36. Here, the discharge posture is an example of the first posture of the present teaching, and is shown in
Although each flap 49 generally maintains its reverse posture due to its own weight, when raised by the recording paper 12 transported there from right below the recording portion 24, it changes the reverse posture to the discharge posture. If the flaps 49 are in the discharge posture, then the recording paper 12 is further transported to the downstream side in the first transporting direction. Then, the auxiliary rollers 47 and 48 rotate because of contacting with the upper surface of the recording paper 12 transported there. That is, the path switch portions 41 in the discharge posture guide the upper surface of the recording paper 12 transported through the transport path 65 in the first transporting direction to lead the recording paper 12 along the transport path 65.
Thereafter, if the rear end of the recording paper 12 has passed through the place right below the auxiliary rollers 47, then the downward force of each flap 49 due to its own weight becomes larger than the force of the recording paper 12 pressing the flaps 49 upward. By virtue of this, each flap 49 returns from the discharge posture back to the reverse posture due to its own weight. As a result, the rear end of the recording paper 12 turns to a direction of the reverse transport path 67. In this state, if the switch back transporting roller 45 is rotated positively, then the recording paper 12 is discharged to the paper discharging tray 21.
On the other hand, with the rear end of the recording paper 12 facing the direction of the reverse transport path 67, if the switch back transporting roller 45 is rotated negatively, then the recording paper 12 is transported to the reverse transport path 67. That is, if the flaps 49 are in the reverse posture, then the recording paper 12 is switched back and transported to the reverse transport path 67. At this time, the auxiliary rollers 48 rotate because of contacting with the upper surface of the recording paper 12 transported through the transport path 65 in a second transporting direction. Then, the recording paper 12 is led to the reverse transport path 67 via the auxiliary rollers 48 of the path switch portions 41. That is, the path switch portions 41 in the reverse posture contact with the upper surface of the recording paper 12 transported through the transport path 65, to lead the recording paper 12 to the reverse transport path 67.
[The Reverse Transport Path 67]
As shown in
The recording paper 12 is guided through the reverse transport path 67 in the second transporting direction. Here, the second transporting direction is the orientation of directing the reverse transport path 67 from the branch position 36 to the junction position 37, and is shown in
An upper guide member 32 partitions the space above the reverse transport path 67. Further, a lower guide member 33 partitions the space below the reverse transport path 67. The upper guide member 32 and the lower guide member 33 are arranged to face each other at a predetermined gap through which the recording paper 12 is passable. Further, the upper guide member 32 and the lower guide member 33 extend in the left-right direction 9, i.e. the direction perpendicular to the paper plane of
[The Pair of Re-transporting Rollers 57]
In the reverse transport path 67, the pair of re-transporting rollers 57 are provided to have a re-transporting roller 68 and a pinch roller 69. The re-transporting roller 68 and the pinch roller 69 contact with each other to sandwich and transport the recording paper 12. A rotation driving force is transmitted to the re-transporting roller 68 from the transporting motor (not shown) via a driving force transmission mechanism (not shown) so as to rotate the same. The driving force transmission mechanism includes a planet gear and the like. The driving force transmission mechanism causes the re-transporting roller 68 to rotate in one rotational direction so as to transport the recording paper 12 in the second transporting direction whether the transporting motor rotates in the positive rotation direction or in the negative rotation direction.
[The Projecting Portion 34]
As shown in
The first surface 70 inclines so that it becomes low in height to a certain extent on the rear side. That is, the first surface 70 is a surface inclined at a predetermined angle from the horizontal surface extending parallel to the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9. The second surface 71 is an approximately horizontal surface extending approximately parallel to the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9. That is, the first surface 70 has a larger inclination angle than the second surface 71 with respect to the horizontal plane. Further, the second surface 71 may as well be an inclined surface with a smaller inclination angle than the first surface 70. Because the first surface 70 is an inclined surface while the second surface 71 is an approximately horizontal surface, the projecting portion 34 is formed at the boundary between the first surface 70 and second surface 71. Further, as described above, because the first surface 70 and the second surface 71 are surfaces extending in the left-right direction 9, the projecting portion 34 at which the first surface 70 intersects the second surface 71 defines a line extending in the left-right direction 9 which is an example of the width direction of the present teaching.
A broken line 76 in
When the fore-end portion of the recording paper 12 transported through the reverse transport path 67 is sandwiched by the pair of re-transporting rollers 57, as shown in
Here, in the multifunction printer 10, the speed of transporting the recording paper 12 due to the re-transporting roller 68 is generally set to be higher than the speed of transporting the recording paper 12 due to the switch back transporting roller 45. This is for preventing the recording paper 12 transported through the reverse transport path 67 from warpage between the pair of switch back rollers 56 and the pair of re-transporting rollers 57. Further, the speed of transporting the recording paper 12 due to each transporting roller is set with a different gear ratio, for example, for the gears arranged to transmit driving forces between the transporting motor and each of the transporting rollers 45 and 68.
When each transport speed of the transporting rollers 45 and 68 is set in the above manner, if the recording paper 12 is transported in the second transporting direction with its front and rear ends sandwiched respectively by the roller pairs 56 and 57, then the recording paper 12 is in a stretched state between the pair of switch back rollers 56 and the pair of re-transporting rollers 57. At this time, the upper surface of the recording paper 12 contacts with the upper guide member 32 on the projecting portion 34.
In this state, if the recording paper 12 is further transported in the second transporting direction, then the upper surface of the recording paper 12 is laid out at the projecting portion 34. By virtue of this, in the recording paper 12 being undulated by the contact portions 83 of the contact members 80 and the support ribs 52 of the platen 42, the undulant amplitude is reduced. In other words, even if the recording paper 12 is deformed into an undulant shape by the contact portions 83 and the support ribs 52, it is laid out by the projecting portion 34 to reduce the deformation and become sufficiently even.
Effects of the EmbodimentAccording to this embodiment, the recording paper 12 is held down by the plurality of contact portions 83 of the contact members 80 spaced apart in the left-right direction 9, and thereby undulated along the left-right direction 9. This undulant recording paper 12 is led by the pair of switch back rollers 56 to the reverse transport path 67 and, then, as the front end of the recording paper 12 reaches the pair of re-transporting rollers 57, the recording paper 12 is sandwiched by both of the pair of switch back rollers 56 and the pair of re-transporting rollers 57. In this state, if the recording paper 12 is transported through the reverse transport path 67, then it is transported through the reverse transport path 67 while being pressed on the projecting portion 34. At this time, the recording paper 12 is separated one by one by the projecting portion 34. By virtue of this, the recording paper 12 transforms from the undulant state to the even state. In the above manner, according to this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the possibility of jamming the recording paper 12 in the reverse transport path 67.
Further, according to this embodiment, in the left-right direction 9, the undulant recording paper 12 forms troughs at the positions held down by the contact portions 83 of the contact members 80, and crests at the positions supported by the support ribs 52. Here, in this embodiment, the auxiliary rollers 48 are provided at different positions from those of the contact portions 83 in the left-right direction 9. Therefore, in this embodiment, the auxiliary rollers 48 hold down the crest portions of the recording paper 12 transported through the reverse transport path 67. By virtue of this, it becomes easy for the recording paper 12 to transform from the undulant state to the even state.
Further, if only one path switch portion 41 is provided while a plurality of auxiliary rollers 48 are arranged in the path switch portion 41 along the left-right direction 9, then in case the recording paper 12 is warped as a whole in the left-right direction 9, the following problem will arise. That is, although the auxiliary rollers 48 facing the floating portions of the warped recording paper 12 as a whole can hold down the crest portions of the recording paper 12, those not facing the floating portions of the warped recording paper 12 as a whole cannot reach the recording paper 12. That is, the auxiliary rollers 48 cannot hold down the crest portions of the recording paper 12. In this embodiment however, because a plurality of path switch portions 41 are provided along the left-right direction 9, each path switch portion 41 can change its posture individually. By virtue of this, independent of the warpage of the recording paper 12, all auxiliary rollers 48 can hold down the crests of the recording paper 12. As a result, it is easy for the recording paper 12 to transform from the undulant state to the even state.
[First Modification]
In the above embodiment, the printer portion 11 is provided with a plurality of contact members 80, each of which includes the fitting portion 81, curved portion 82, and contact portion 83. However, the contact members 80 may as well be configured as a single-body member. In this case, the contact member 80 is, for example, configured by one fitting portion 81 extending along the left-right direction 9, a plurality of curved portions 82 (see
In the above embodiment, although the plurality of fitting portions 81 are fixed apart from each other on the guide rail 43 in the left-right direction 9, in the first modification however, the single-body fitting portion 81 is fixed on the guide rail 43. Then, the plurality of curved portions 82 are provided to project frontward from the single-body fitting portion 81. At this stage, the plurality of curved portions 82 are provided to project from the positions spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction 9. Further, it is the same as in the above embodiment that the contact portions 83 project frontward from the apical end portions of the curved portions 82.
[Second Modification]
In the above embodiment, the upper guide member 32 includes the first surface 70 and the second surface 71 each of which is a single flat surface. Then, the first surface 70 and the second surface 71 guide the recording paper 12 in the reverse transport path 67. However, the upper guide member 32 may as well not have single flat surfaces such as the first surface 70 and the second surface 71. For example, as shown in
Further,
In the second modification as shown in
Further, if a plurality of projecting portions 34 are provided at gaps along the left-right direction 9 as in the second modification, then as shown in
[Third Modification]
In the above embodiment, the upper guide member 32 is formed of the first surface 70 and the second surface 71, and the projecting portion 34 is formed by the first surface 70 and the second surface 71. However, the projecting portion of the present teaching is not limited to the projecting portion 34 in the above embodiment.
For example, a projecting portion 35 as shown in
Further, either one projecting portion 35 may be provided to extend in the left-right direction 9, or a plurality of projecting portions 35 may be provided at gaps along the left-right direction 9.
[Fourth Modification]
The distance between the upper guide member 32 and the lower guide member 33 in the reverse transport path 67 may reach the minimum at the place between the projecting portion and the lower guide member of the present invention. For example, the configuration shown in
[Fifth Modification]
In the above embodiment, although each path switch portion 41 includes both sets of the auxiliary rollers 47 and 48, it may include either only one set of the auxiliary rollers 47 and 48 or none of the auxiliary rollers 47 and 48.
For example, if the path switch portions 41 do not include the auxiliary rollers 47 and 48, then the upper surface of the recording paper 12 transported through the transport path 65 contacts with the flaps 49. In this case, the position of each flap 49 in the left-right direction 9 may be different from that of the contact portion 83 of each contact member 80 in the left-right direction 9. That is, each path switch portion 41 may contact with the recording paper 12 in a different position from that in which each contact portion 83 contacts with the recording paper 12, to guide the upper surface of the recording paper 12.
Except for unperformable cases, it is also possible to appropriately combine the abovementioned embodiment and one or more modifications as necessary.
Claims
1. An ink-jet recording apparatus comprising:
- a first transporting portion provided in a first transport path, and configured to transport a sheet in a first transporting direction;
- a support member provided on a downstream side of the first transporting portion in the first transporting direction, and configured to support the sheet guided through the first transport path;
- a recording portion provided to face the support member, and configured to jet ink droplets from nozzles onto the sheet supported on the support member to record an image thereon;
- a second transporting portion provided in a second transport path connected with the first transport path at a first connection position on a downstream side of the support member in the first transporting direction, and at a second connection position on an upstream side to the first transporting portion in the first transporting direction, and configured to sandwich and transport the sheet in a second transporting direction from the first connection position toward the second connection position; and
- a third transporting portion provided on a downstream side of the first connection position in the first transporting direction, and configured to sandwich and transport the sheet in the first transporting direction or toward the second transport path, and
- a corrugate mechanism provided in the first transport path on an upstream side to the third transporting portion in the first transporting direction, and configured to form a corrugated shape in the sheet;
- wherein the second transport path is defined by an upper guide member and a lower guide member; and
- on the upstream side to the second transporting portion in the second transporting direction, a projecting portion is provided in the upper guide member to project, in side view, toward the side of the lower guide member below a virtual line linking a nip position of the sheet due to the third transporting portion with another nip position of the sheet due to the second transporting portion.
2. The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the corrugate mechanism comprises:
- a plurality of contact portions provided apart in a width direction perpendicular to the first transporting direction on an upstream side to the nozzles in the first transporting direction, and configured to come into contact with an upper surface of the sheet supported on the support member; and
- a support rib provided on the support member and between a pair of contact portions of the plurality of contact portions in the width direction,
- wherein the support rib is configured to form the corrugated shape in the sheet in conjunction with the plurality of contact portions.
3. The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an upper end of the support rib is positioned above lower ends of the contact portions.
4. The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising a path switch portion provided in the first connection position, and configured to come into contact with the upper surface of the sheet transported through the first transport path, to lead an upstream edge of the sheet in the first transporting direction to the second transport path,
- wherein the path switch portion comes into contact with the sheet at a position between the contact portions in the width direction to guide the upper surface of the sheet.
5. The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the path switch portion includes a spur rotating when contacting with the sheet being transported, and the spur is arranged in a position corresponding to between the contact portions in the width direction.
6. The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the projecting portion includes a plurality of projecting portions at gaps along a width direction.
7. The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of projecting portions is provided at a position between the contact portions in the width direction.
8. The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a gap between the projecting portion and the lower guide member is the minimum throughout a gap between the upper guide member and the lower guide member in the second transport path.
9. The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the path switch portion includes a plurality of path switch portions along the width direction.
10. The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of the contact portions has a contact rib projecting to a support member side, and extending in the first transporting direction.
11. The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a virtual line along a guide surface of the upper guide member on an upstream side to the projecting portion in the second transporting direction intersects with a guide surface of the lower guide member on a downstream side of the projecting portion in the second transporting direction and on the upstream side to the second transporting portion in the second transporting direction.
12. The ink-jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the corrugate mechanism comprises:
- a plurality of support ribs provided on the support member in a width direction perpendicular to the first transporting direction; and
- a contact portion provided on an upstream side to the nozzles in the first transporting direction and between a pair of support ribs of the plurality of support ribs in the width direction,
- wherein the contact portion is configured to form the corrugated shape in the sheet in conjunction with the plurality of support ribs.
13. An ink-jet recording apparatus comprising:
- a first transporting portion provided in a first transport path, and configured to transport a sheet in a first transporting direction;
- a recording portion provided on a downstream side of the first transporting portion in the first transporting direction, and configured to jet ink droplets from nozzles formed in the recording portion onto the sheet transported in the first transporting direction to record an image;
- a second transporting portion provided in a second transport path connected with the first transport path at a first connection position on the downstream side of the first transporting portion in the first transporting direction, and at a second connection position on an upstream side to the first transporting portion in the first transporting direction, and configured to sandwich and transport the sheet in a second transporting direction from the first connection position toward the second connection position;
- a third transporting portion provided on a downstream side of the first connection position in the first transporting direction, and configured to sandwich and transport the sheet in the first transporting direction or toward the second transport path; and
- a corrugate mechanism provided in the first transport path, and configured to form a corrugated shape in the sheet;
- wherein the second transport path is defined by an upper guide member and a lower guide member; and
- on an upstream side to the second transporting portion in the second transporting direction, a projecting portion is provided in the upper guide member to project, in a side view, toward the side of the lower guide member below a virtual line linking a nip position of the sheet due to the third transporting portion with another nip position of the sheet due to the second transporting portion.
14. An ink-jet recording apparatus, comprising:
- a pair of transporting rollers provided in a first transport path, and configured to transport a sheet in a first transporting direction;
- a recording portion provided on a downstream side from the pair of transporting rollers in the first transporting direction, and configured to jet ink droplets from nozzles onto the sheet transported in first transporting direction to record an image;
- a pair of reverse rollers provided on the downstream side of the pair of transporting rollers in the first transporting direction, and configured to sandwich and transport the sheet in the first transporting direction, or in a second transporting direction toward a second transport path connected with the first transport path at a first connection position on the downstream side of the pair of transporting rollers in the first transporting direction and on an upstream side to the pair of reverse rollers in the first transporting direction, and at a second connection position on an upstream side to the pair of transporting rollers in the first transporting direction;
- a corrugate mechanism provided in the first transport path, and configured to form a corrugated shape in the sheet,
- wherein the second transport path is defined by an upper guide member and a lower guide member; and
- wherein in the second transport path, a virtual line along a guide surface of the upper guide member facing the second transport path intersects with a guide surface of the lower guide member facing the second transport path on an upstream side to the second connection position in the second transporting direction.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Sep 28, 2012
Date of Patent: Apr 29, 2014
Patent Publication Number: 20130135411
Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken)
Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ito (Nagoya), Noriyuki Kawamata (Nagoya), Takashi Omura (Nagoya)
Primary Examiner: Huan Tran
Application Number: 13/629,718
International Classification: B41J 11/02 (20060101);